Jam-proof gun ammunition feed can



a 5 R. A. STARRY JAM-PROOF GUN AMMUNITION FEED CAN Filed. Aug. 31

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

RAYMOND A. STARRY ATTORNEYS Jan. 8, 1957 R. A. STARRY JAM-PROOF GUN AMMUNITION FEED CAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 31, 1955 INVENTOR.

I RAYMOND A. STARRY BY v FM ATTORNEYS United Sttes JAM-PROOF GUN AMMUNITION FEED CAN Raymond A. Starry, Holicong, Pa., assignor to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretaryof the Navy 1 The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to a jam-proof gun ammunition feed can and more particularly to an ammunition feed can for belted ammunition having special provisions for the accomodation of belted cartridges which are tapered longitudinally, in order to insure smooth and uninterrupted feeding of the tapered cartridges from the feed can to a gun.

The ammunition cartridges usually fed to a gun by means of a flexible'belt were substantially cylindrical in shape. Consequently, the belted ammunition could conveniently be stored for feeding to a gun in an ordinary rectangular box of suitable size and shape to accomodate the belted ammunition in stacked horizontally disposed layers. ,Thecylindrical shape of the cartridges made it possible to stack the belted ammunition evenly within the box without providing any auxiliary supporting means therefor. With this arrangement, successive layers of the belted ammunition could readily be withdrawn from the feed can without imposing an excessive load upon the ammunition feeding mechanism and with very little possibility of jamming the belted ammunition withinthe feed can. However, recently developed guns in which belted ammunition is used make use of cartridges having a substantial taper from the relatively large base of the shell case to the relatively small tip of the projectile. Belted ammunition made up with these tapered cartridges cannot be stacked evenly in horizontally disposed layers within a rectangular box. Instead, successive layers of these tapered cartridges tilt increasingly toward one side of a box so that they are increasingly difiicult to withdraw as the number of layers are increased. This condition imposes a severe strain on the ammunition feeding mechanism and greatly increases the possibility of jamming the ammunition belt within the feed can. One possible solution would be the use of a non-rectangular feed can curved to accomodate angularly offset layers of ammunition therein. However, such a can would be more difiicult to fabricate and hence more expensive.- In addition, it would be more diificult' to handle and to store and it would present additional problems 'in arranging a plurality of such feed cans adjacent to a closely arrayed plurality of guns.

The instant invention contemplates a relatively simple feed can comprising a rectangular box similar to those well known and widely used for containing belted ammunition. However, the feed can comprising the instant invention is provided with a suitable series of automatically retractable supporting means arranged to support succes' sive layers of tapered cartridges in parallel horizontal positions.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an ammunition feed can arranged to contain and adeatet quately support a relatively large quantity of belted ammunition comprising longitudinally tapered cartridges.

Another object is to provide a series of horizontally disposed retractable shelves spaced vertically along the inside surface of one side wall of an ammunition feed can.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means operable to automatically retract a series of supporting shelves within an ammunition feed can.

A final object of the present invention is the provision of ready access for placingeach of the series of shelves within an ammunition feed can in an extended cartridge supporting position.

The exact nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent upon consideration of the following specification along with the annexed drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention,

Fig. 2 is an end view, partially in section, of the embodiment of the instant invention shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of an ammunition belt arranged within an ammunition feed can in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. 1 a lightweight gun ammunition feed can generally designated by the reference numeral 10 for belted cartridges including a narrow elongated rectangular box 12 open at the top and fitted with a cover 13 pivotally connected at one end to the box 12 by means of a hinge assembly 14 and secured. at the other end by a suitable latch 15. The box 12 is 7. Since the. ammunition feed can 10 described herein has been designed especially for use with tapered cartridges it contains several features arranged to adapt it for this use. In order to support the cartridges in a horizontal position as they pass through opening 21, one roller 22 is made larger than the other. In addition, the inner surface of one side wall is fitted with a series of horizontally disposed shelf supporting members 30 upon which shelves 31 are pivotally mounted for movement between a horizontally extended position in which they rest against a suitable stop means 34 to support the smaller ends of alternate rows of tapered cartridges 28 and a vertically disposed position in which they lie flush against the side wall. As indicated in the enlarged detail in Fig. 2 the stop 34 may conveniently be an integral portion of the supporting member 30. Each shelf is continuously biased by a spring means 32 toward its vertically disposed position. The side Wall is provided with a series of access openings 33 adjacent the central portion of the respective shelves to facilitate displacement of the shelves into their horizontally extending positions as cartridges are loaded in the feed can 10.

The operation of this device will be described in relation to the schematic showing in Fig. 3, which represents the ammunition feed can 10 with belted cartridges loaded therein in successive horizontally disposed loops, each supported by a shelf 31. This arrangement of the cartridge belt in relation to the structural components of the feed can involves two critical design features. First, the ends of the shelves are spaced from the end walls of the feed can so that they do not project between adjacent cartridges in the portion of the belt interconnecting successive loops. Thus, one potential source of jamming is eliminated. Second, the loops must be arranged with their open ends adjacent the end wall in which opening 21 is located. With this arrangement, the uppermost loop may be withdrawn freely through opening 21'witl1 no possibility of jamming, since there is no supporting shelf interposed between the upper portion and the lower portion of this loop. When the first loop is withdrawn the spring 32 automatically moves the uppermost shelf into its vertically disposed position, so that the next lo'op may also be withdrawn freely through the opening 2 1'. This sequence is repeated until the feed can is entirely empty. Thus this device provides means for supporting tapered cartridges levelly within the feed-can, so arranged that they 'may readily be withdrawn without jammin g and without placing an increased load upon any cartridge feed mechanism used to withdraw the cartridges from theca'n.

' The instant invention assures trouble-free delivery 'of large quantities of ammunition to rapid-firing guns which make 'use 'of substantially tapered cartridges, by providing an ammunition feed can arranged especially 'for the storage and the delivery of belted ammunition comprising tapered cartridges.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates particularly to a preferred embodiment of the invention and that numerous modifications and alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth 'in the appended claims.

What isclaimed is:

1 An ammunition container for a plurality of generally tapered cartridges all similarly disposed crosswise ofthe container and mounted sequentially inan elongated flexible belt which is folded in successive horizontal layers within the container, said ammunition container including a substantially vertical sidewall adjacent to the small ends of the cartridges, a plurality of narrow elongated shelves shorter in length than said sidewall, a plurality of hinge means for "pivotally mounting said I shelves horizontally and at vertically spaced intervals'on said sidewall and midway between 'its ends, a plurality of continuously effective coil spring biasing means mounted peripherally of said hinge means and connected'to the respective shelves and arranged to bias each of said shelves upwardly into contact with the inner surface of said sidewall, stop means adjacent to each shelf arranged to limit downward deflection of the shelf at a substantially horizontal position in which the shelf projects substantially perpendicular from the sidewall, and a plurality of access openings located centrally of the sidewall and immediately above the respective hinge means, so that said shelves may readily be deflected downwardly from outside the container by overpowering said biasing means, said shelves being so spaced that they support the small ends of alternate layers of cartridges when they are deflected downwardly into a substantially horizontal position as successive layers of a flexible belt of cartridges are folded into said container.

2. An ammu'nition container for a plurality of generally tapered cartridges all similarly disposed crosswise of the container and mounted sequentially in an elongated flexible belt which is folded insuccessive-horizontal layers within the container, said ammunition container including a substantially vertical sidewall adjacent to the small ends of the respective cartridges, a plurality of narrow elongated shelves shorter in length than said sidewall, a plurality of hinge means for .piv'otally mounting said shelveshoriz'ontally and atvertically spaced "intervals upon said sidewall midway between its ends, a plurality of continuously effectivespring biasing means mounted in alignment with said hinge means and'connectcd to the respective shelves and arranged to bias each of said shelves up-v wardly into 'contact with the 'inner surface of said sidewall and stop means adjacent to each shelf arranged to limit the downward deflection of the shelf at a substantially horizontal position'in which the shelf projects substantially perpendicular to theside'wall, said-shelves being so spaced that they support thetsmall ends of alternate layers of cartridges when *they'are deflected downwardly into asubstantially:horizontalposition as successivelayers of a flexible belt of cartridges are laid itrsaid container.

References Cited in'the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 458,362 Canada Aug. -2, 1949 

